Team Nigeria’s weightlifters continued their dominance in the weightlifting event at the on-going 2023 Africa Games in Ghana yesterday as two of the athletes, Ruth Ayodele and Joy Eze, won three gold medals each in their 64kg and 71kg classes respectively.
Competing on Day 4 of the event, Ruth Ayodele snatched 64kg gold as well as clean and jerk and total. She lifted 94kg in snatch, 144kg in clean and jerk and a total of 208kg to claim all the three gold at stake.
For Joy Eze, who is competing in her second African Games, moved up to a new weight category and become a champion in it. She was exceptional in her new 71kg category, claiming all the three gold medals by snatching 90kg, 117kg in clean and jerk and a total of 207.
The six gold from Ayodele and Eze make it a total of 15 gold medals won by Nigeria’s weightlifters in Accra.
Recall that the trio of Adijat Olarinoye, (55kg) Rafiatu Lawal (59kg) and Edidiong Umoafia (67kg) all won nine gold medals in their respective classes on Monday.
Meanwhile, the president of Nigeria Weightlifting Federation (NWF), Dr Ibrahim Abdul, has applauded Nigeria’s weightlifters for their impressive performance so far at the Games.
Speaking with NWF media crew, Abdul attributed the impressive feat to the commitment on the side of athletes as well as the organisational plan of the federation and charged them to go all out and conquer Africa.
”We took off with five medals on Sunday and today (Monday) we have nine gold medals. I am delighted but the job has not yet been concluded.
“The commitment and sacrifices of the players are paying off and also the organisational disposition of the federation. Nigeria is a dominant force in weightlifting and that is what we are targeting in Accra,” Dr Abdul said.
He lauded the federal government through the ministry of sports for their efforts in camping the athletes and seeing to their welfare.
Team Nigeria Weightlifting won a total of 50 medals at the 2019 Africa games with 16 gold, 16 silver and 18 bronze medals. Optimism is high that the current athletes could surpass the record in Accra, Ghana’s capital.